Communicator Tip: Tell Them a Story

Therese Frare, IlluminAge Marketing & Communications Specialist

With the rise of social media such as Facebook and Twitter, marketers have become keenly aware of the value of forming relationships with the audience in a casual manner.

We all love to tell stories about our lives and to hear the stories of others.  These personal stories can help you promote your organization.

Across all age groups, we see that storytelling has become an important part of market strategy and studies show that the older we become, the more important these emotional triggers are.

Several recent examples confirm that baby boomers and seniors are more receptive to narrative-styled presentations of information, and less responsive to information presented in expository style. Marketers need to tell stories, give examples, and use testimonials.

Marketing Sherpa, an online resource that publishes free e-newsletters and case studies about marketing, recently highlighted the story of Westminster Retirement, which built a highly successful advertising campaign around testimonials that spoke directly to potential residents’ needs.  The personal resident stories resonated with the retired community and generated 267% more newsletter subscribers from July-September 2009. Introductory lunch attendance more than doubled, and the website’s unique visitor count was 24.3% higher – all as compared to the same period in 2008. 

IlluminAge Communication Partners' print and online newsletter partners also report that among the most popular articles are the mini-biographies of the resident and the employee of the month.  These features help the community understand the rich history of residents and the interesting background and cultural heritage of those providing care.

Storytelling with audio and video is also effective. IlluminAge recently partnered with Pennsylvanians for Quality Care in presenting embedded video clips entitled “Faces of Long-Term Care.”  Lee Anna Worley, for example, talks about how happy she is that her husband, who has Alzheimer’s, is being well cared for. There are also personal video stories by residents, administrators and staff.

In addition to the benefits for the marketer, reminiscing, nostalgia and storytelling have benefits for older adults too.  The Association of Psychological Science states in a recent study, “Nostalgia is now emerging as a fundamental human strength.”

According to IlluminAge Content Director Joyce Remy, reminiscing, the process of "life review," is an important part of old age. As seniors recall their accomplishments and come to terms with past conflicts and disappointments, they achieve a heightened sense of personal identity and meaning in life.

Reminiscing also enhances self-esteem.  Remy adds, “Studies suggest that seniors who are encouraged to share events from their lives with others experience an increased sense of peace and self-worth. We all have a lifelong need to see ourselves as unique individuals, and the recollection of pleasant experiences, past accomplishments, and triumphs over adversity is part of this.”

Marketers and older adults alike can benefit from storytelling and sharing rich stories — in the form of text, photos, video and/or audio testimonials.  If you would like to add these human touches to your website or online communications, contact us for more information.